Author: Kailynn Johnson

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Organizers Urge County Officials Be Held Accountable for xAI Project

Photo: Black Voters Matter

While many residents have criticized Memphis Mayor Paul Young for the city’s role in Elon Musk’s xAI project, community organizers say Shelby County officials should not only be held responsible, they should intervene as well.

On Monday night, the group Black Voters Matter facilitated a virtual conversation called “Stop the xAI Shelby County Takeover” where KeShaun Pearson of Memphis Community Against Pollution said the Shelby County Health Department is responsible for regulating environmental concerns — which have been at the center of the xAI controversy.

To address this, Pearson met with Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris last week about the presence of xAI’s gas turbines — which many did not know had been operating for about a year.

In June 2024, Harris released a statement commending the Greater Memphis Chamber for “leading” the xAI project into fruition and called it a “monumental opportunity for Memphis and Shelby County.”

While Pearson addressed the “atrocity” of the situation, he said Harris is in support of a resolution that is headed to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday before the Commission’s Hospitals and Health Committee.

The resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Britney Thornton, urges the Shelby County Health Department to host a public meeting “prior to the approval or denial of the permit submitted by CTC Property LLC, an affiliate of xAI for the long-term operations of 15 methane gas turbines in South Memphis.”

Pearson said this resolution would suspend the air-permitting process as the permit is not for the “current pollution” but “more pollution,” as xAI intends to bring more turbines in.

“The damage here on a human level in an ecosystem that is trying to flourish, that is so beautiful — it’s so dangerous,” Pearson said. “It’s incumbent, and it’s a responsibility of the people who have signed the paperwork to say they ‘will be employed here and work for the people’ to show up and do that.”

Amber Sherman, local political strategist, said it’s important for people to know “who the power players are” and how these processes work. Sherman’s comments come after MCAP hosted “A Fireside Chat with Mayor Paul Young” on Saturday, March 22nd.

Pearson said the conversation was “representative of what people are feeling,” noting that many people felt “left out of the entire process.” He said he was glad citizens were able to challenge Young on his “positive position” regarding xAI.

Sherman noted that several people wondered why Young “wasn’t doing anything” and felt like Young should have emphasized how “the power works.”

“You’re not throwing someone under the bus to make sure people know who’s responsible,” Sherman said. “Saying that the Shelby County Health Department is the one who issues permits doesn’t throw them under the bus — it just points out the direct target who we should be talking to, so everyone isn’t pissed off at you all the time.”

Pearson noted that while Young may not have all the authority citizens expect him to, he isn’t “absolved” from working on the city’s end.

“What we can’t allow is for people to scapegoat other organizations,” Pearson said. “It is a bit of standing in your power and really using the authority that has been given to you in ways that exist, and not to perform this kind of learned helplessness that ‘we can’t do anything’ [or] ‘I can only do so much.’ Do everything and then get innovative on how to do more.”

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Policy Brief Targets Pride Flag Censorship

Photo Credit: Sophie Emeny via Unsplash

The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) and the Human Rights Campaign(HRC) have found that Pride flag censorship sends a negative message about LGBTQ+ visibility – despite lawmakers’ continuous efforts to enforce it. 

HB0304 by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) has been introduced in the current legislative session. It prohibits government entities from “displaying or allowing display of flags other than Tennessee and U.S. flags on courthouses and public roads and sidewalks.” 

The brief states that the flag is not inherently “political” yet proposed legislation seeks to label them as such. Failed bills categorized them as “unapproved, political flags,” and sought to ban them from flying in “government buildings and public schools.”

“It does not address personal displays inside courthouses and government buildings,” the brief said. “ Its arbitrary enforcement-by-grievance is based on an individual’s beliefs and visual interpretations of abstract or imagined forms of ‘political flags,’ including in constitutionally recognized free speech zones. Individuals can file lawsuits against any Tennessee government entity.”

The agencies published a policy brief regarding flag censorship in Tennessee government and schools. While the state has passed “over 20 anti-LGBTQ+ laws,” since 2019, lawmakers have been unsuccessful in banning the flag, with two bills failing in 2024 (HB304/SB266.)

TEP and HRC said that the government can regulate “its own speech and those speaking on its behalf;” this form of censorship can be deemed by non-governmental bodies as unconstitutional.

The brief emphasizes the historical significance of Pride flags as they represent “identity, unity or division, and pride.” They said it is not affiliated with any political party or religion, and that Tennesseans have celebrated its meaning at different businesses, parks, parades and more.

“For 47 years, rainbows and Pride flags have been displayed to celebrate LGBTQ+ history, figures, and the pursuit of equality around the world,” the brief said. “Pride flags are prominently displayed at Stonewall National Monument in honor of LGBTQ+ trailblazers.”

Another central argument the brief makes is that the flag positively impacts LGBTQ+ representation — specifically in schools. It states that regulating public display of the flag “perpetuates stigma about the LGBTQ+ community.” The HRC found that 46.1 percent of LGBTQ+ youth reported feeling unsafe in schools. The brief states that the Pride flag can symbolize safer and inclusive environments. 

If passed,  the bill  would also open the door for a number of legal battles challenging the constitutionality from schools, as well as from community groups and citizens.

“Tennessee courts have recently sided with groups when local governments refused permitting public Pride events, the brief said. “ Governments across Tennessee will face similar and costly legal challenges if they censor certain speech, or appear to.”

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Proposed Bill Would Limit Big Corporations in Real Estate

Tennesseans may have a better chance at homeownership as a new bill seeks to limit how many homes big corporations can purchase.

Sen Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville) and Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) have introduced the “Homes Not Hedge Funds Act” to tackle the influence of out-of-state investors and real estate corporations on the housing market.

Under the bill, corporate investors would not be able to purchase more than 100-single family homes in counties with more than 150,000 people for rental purposes. According to lawmakers, these areas are affected the most by “corporate real estate speculation.”

“When corporate landlords control too much of our housing stock, working-class families lose out,” Behn said in a statement. “This bill sets a clear boundary to keep communities stable and homeownership attainable.”

Oliver added that families are not able to attain homeownership because investors are “buying up entire neighborhoods and turning them into rental properties.” The bill acknowledges this and notes that these corporations lower home supply, thus driving up the costs for potential buyers.

“Owning a home is one of the most reliable ways to build wealth, and this bill ensures that more working families have a fair shot at the American Dream,” Oliver said.

According to the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, the state’s Housing Cost Index is at a 10 year high. Officials said this has resulted in the median purchase price doubling.

“Families now spend an average of 45.5 percent of their household income on stable housing,” they added.

A report from the United Way found that 44 percent of households in the state cannot afford basic necessities, with 13 percent earning below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Out of 362,643 households in Shelby County, 15 percent were below the FPL and 30 percent were deemed Asset Limited, Income Constrained Employed (ALICE.)

The United Way’s “United for ALICE” organization defines this group as people who “earn more than the FPL, but not enough to afford the basics where they live.” 

The bill is scheduled to be heard in the Senate State and Local Government Committee on March 18.

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April Mud Island Concert Series Canceled Due to Safety Concerns

Photo Credit: Save Mud Island & The Amphitheater via Facebook

A concert series scheduled at the Mud Island Amphitheater for April has been canceled as the city of Memphis cited “safety hazards” in the projected area.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association of Memphis announced that its concert series scheduled for next month is a “no-go” after receiving a statement from the city’s interim chief operating officer Antonio Adams.

In the statement, Adams said that it’s possible for the space to “once again be a great venue and event space,” but that it would be “irresponsible” for the city to ignore the venue’s dangerous conditions, citing a “financial risk to the city and taxpayers.”

After receiving the news, the group Save Mud Island and The Amphitheater posted a letter they received from a structural engineer that said the space was “structurally sound and safe.” The post said this was the second consultant they had had review the space.

“In my professional opinion, the overall structure appears to be in reasonably sound condition for its age and type of construction and does not pose an immediate threat to its structural capacity,” Jason Crum of Crum Engineering said in the letter. 

While Crum said he believes there are no immediate threats, he did recommend a more “comprehensive analysis” be done by other engineers in various fields. He noted that his assessment did not “confirm code compliance for issues beyond the scope of structural engineering.”

The association noted that they consulted with an ADA professional hired by the city who cited “minor repairs.” Jerred Price, president of the Downtown Neighborhood Association and founder of the Save The Amphitheater movement, went on to say there are other insurance concerns they plan to look into.

“We will continue to work with the mayor’s office to ensure that we can have concerts there in the near future,” Price said in a statement. “We will be meeting with the mayor himself very soon to discuss this conflicting report by the city’s hired architect — after all, we have had not one, but TWO structural engineers walk the property and tell us that the venue would be perfectly safe to host the pop-up concert series.”

In February, the two groups announced “The Comeback Concert Series” slated for April 18th, 19th, and 20th. At the time, Price said their final step was to meet with Memphis River Parks Partnership about the logistics of the event.

Price followed up on these conversations in a livestream where he stated that MRPP’s insurance policy does not cover events held at the amphitheater, but did give insight as to what the organizations would need to host an event.

“We have some questions regarding that liability insurance that we’re going to have to take back to the mayor’s office and the city because it’s a city-owned park [and] structure,” Price said. “I believe that the city’s general liability policy would be covering that particular venue as it covers all city-owned land and property. That’s to my understanding.”

Price said this does not mean they won’t have concerts at the Amphitheater; rather, there are still some “kinks to work through.”

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Lawmakers Work To Remove Grocery Tax

Photo by Fikri Rasyid on Unsplash

Lawmakers are continuing work to repeal the state’s grocery tax with bills introduced in the legislature.

Tennessee is one of 10 states, including Alabama and Mississippi, that are looking to take away the grocery tax. In 2024, the state was recognized by the Tax Foundation as having one of the highest grocery taxes in the nation at 4 percent. According to a fiscal review by the Tennessee General Assembly, the average local sales tax is estimated to be 2.5 percent. Memphis’ current sales tax is 2.75 percent, meaning local shoppers pay 6.75 percent.

State Democrats have criticized Republicans for enacting legislation that would help the upper class and big corporations, as opposed to “working families in Tennessee.” To rectify this, legislation has been introduced to repeal the grocery tax.

SB1164 introduced by Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) would remove fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables from being included in sales tax. Action has currently been deferred on this bill in the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Revenue Committee.

Republicans have introduced HB0021 that would eliminate the state grocery tax of 4 percent and impose a tax of up to 2.75 percent. While Tennessee law allows funds from the tax to go towards education, the bill would remove this option.

HB0002 by  Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville), also known as the “End the Grocery Tax by Closing Corporate Loopholes Act) would eliminate the sales tax from groceries as well. For purposes of the bill, groceries are defined as “food and food ingredients for human consumption.” Similar to HB0021, this would not include alcoholic beverages, tobacco, candy, dietary supplements, or prepared food.

The bill also proposes that bigger corporations pay more in taxes to make up for the funds lost by removing the tax. Sen. Charlane Oliver (D- Nashville) is the Senate sponsor for the bill and said that abolishing the grocery tax could lead to investment in universal pre-K. Oliver made these comments during a press conference hosted by the coalition Tennessee For All, who gathered for their “Communities Not Corporations: Day on the Hill.” In addition to rallying against the grocery tax and “end of corporate tax loopholes,” the group advocated for worker’s safety rights and funding for pre-K education.

“For too long, our state has sided with billionaires and big businesses,” Oliver said. “We need to stop giving a break to corporations and start investing in our communities.”

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MATA Officials Reveal Reason For Missed Bus Routes

Photo: Justin Fox Burks

The Memphis Area Transit Authority’s leadership contributed to a majority of missed trips last year by removing routes from its published schedule. Interim CEO and TransPro consultant John Lewis called the move a “deliberate” decision by previous management to “mask service cuts from the public.”

This information was revealed during the Interim CEO report at the March 7th Board of Commissioners meeting. Officials said the schedule deletions had been going on “as far back as April of last year (2024).”

“We knew we weren’t delivering 20 percent of the published schedule,” an official said during the meeting.

With customer satisfaction being touted as a priority, officials are now working to improve their on-time performance (OTP). They reported 64 percent of buses arrived “between one minute early and 5 minutes late” in January 2025. 

Those numbers exclude the 29 percent of missed trips — which the agency said are trips that were never completed. Leadership went on to say in order for the schedule to be “executed,” drivers are able to pick their routes, but MATA leadership took 20 percent of the rides off of the published schedule.

“Even in a universe where we have buses and spares and operators we know are ready and willing to drive, we could not have delivered that because those weren’t available routes to drive,” the official said. “We never had a chance to perform them.

Lewis added that any schedule changes are subject to board approval.

“I’m mad as hell after hearing this,” Commissioner Cynthia Bailey said. “So, all this time they was violating and had the customers acting [a] ass here, it was their fault, or it never came out? So they was giving false information to the customers? I’m mad as hell.”

Lewis said they are “pursuing consequences” to the individuals who had knowledge of the schedule changes, and they are further investigating the issue.

“I have long stated that MATA had a priority problem and MATA was [more] concerned about the administration than the ridership,” said Johnnie Mosley, founding chairman of Citizens for Better Service. “Memphis must demand that MATA do right by bus riders. Bus riders have suffered too long as a result of lack of leadership.”

One of the key points that officials have tried to improve is the city’s trust in MATA — specifically as stewards of public funds. Leadership pointed to a September 2024 survey of 388 Memphians in which only 26 percent of responders said they deemed the agency trustworthy of taxpayer’s dollars.

“Over time, and with proper financial governance and transparency, the team will strive to improve the community’s faith in MATA,” officials said during a presentation at the meeting.

Lewis said TransPro performed a “preliminary review of FY24 General Administrative expenses,” which showed that out of $9.9 million, $848,000 was spent in discretionary spending. This included $603,000 in sponsorship of the Memphis Grizzlies and $144,000 in “other AMEX purchases.” 

Officials said this did not include charges for travel and meetings.

“We asked for detailed statements of that, had to do some digging with American Express — the agency at the time did not have itemized monthly bills, which was not a best practice to say the least,” Lewis said. “After we received itemized statements going back the last couple of years, we found within those purchases, seemingly non-business-related purchases.”

Lewis said these included $5,000 in payments via PayPal and Venmo, $7,000 in purchases at BestBuy, $10,000 in party equipment rental, $30,000 in customizable purchases, and $1,200 in Montblanc purchases to name a few. 

“These don’t seem to be necessarily transit related,” Lewis said.

He went on to say they brought this to the attention of the city auditor, and as a result the state comptroller has been notified. Lewis and his team has been advised to seek outside counsel for a more thorough investigation. 

The former leadership that had possession of the AMEX card has been placed on administrative leave, officials said.

The agency’s Board of Commissioners in conjunction with leadership have established that their main expectations are to enhance customer service, provide financial transparency, develop “public facing metrics,” and increase bus route coverage and frequency. 

MATA hopes these outcomes will result in improved trust in the community and satisfied customers, and optimization of the city’s investment. In terms of financials, the agency hopes to provide a balanced budget with “operating expenses [being] less than or equal to available revenue.”

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Homeless Encampment Bill Moves Through Legislature

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

A bill that seeks to keep Tennessee’s highways clear of encampments, tents, and personal items has been recommended for passage to the Senate Calendar Committee.

Senate Bill 0217 would require the Tennessee Department of Transportation and other agencies to regulate “the collection, storage, claiming, and disposal of personal property used for camping from the shoulder, berm, or right-of-way of a state or interstate highway, or under a bridge or overpass, or within an underpass of a state or interstate highway.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis), was recommended for passage today through the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee. Taylor said he had experience in trying to clear areas of personal property and called it the “most complicated thing [he] had done as an adult.”

“What this bill does is simply allow TDOT to go into communities like Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, or any other community and to go ahead and pre-plan how they’re going to deal with homeless encampments and go ahead and work with social services networks in that community,” Taylor said.

Taylor said this network will include law enforcement, so that all the duties will already be spelled out when an encampment needs to be removed. He also said this bill does not criminalize homeless people.

“This serves not only the state and the local community, but this serves the homeless folks as well.” Taylor said. “When they identify a homeless encampment that needs to be cleared, there’ll be nonprofits and social services available to the people in homeless encampments. We all have empathy, but whatever has driven somebody to have to live under a bridge, their lot in life is not getting better by living under a bridge.”

Taylor said the bill will help communities develop a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to tackle this issue in a way that’s beneficial to both the city and the homeless. Sen. Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) asked if the bill outlines how their belongings will be stored, to which Taylor responded that the decision would be left to the board.

“I understand the intent. I have a similar thing happen in my district. I just am concerned without the direction from the legislation, the homeless peoples’ items and things need to be considered; that we’re putting the discretion to be able to take stuff away from homeless people in somebody’s hands where it might not have been before,” Campbell said.

Lindsey Krinks, co-founder of Housing for All Tennessee and Open Table Nashville, noted citizens’ concerns for the bill — specifically, the disposal of homeless people’s belongings.

“What this bill doesn’t tell you is that the campsite removal costs will be passed down to local governments; we’re really concerned about that,” Krinks said. “We all want to see the number of people living in encampments decrease, but the way we do that is not to play a game of Whack-A-Mole. It’s to break the cycle of homelessness through providing housing and support to people.”

Krinks said the bill does not address homelessness nor the deficit of housing or shelter. She noted that the bill’s “aggressive” deadline of removal three days after receiving a complaint does not allow people to secure permanent housing.

Taylor said this bill will address these concerns as the agencies and TDOT will help people get connected to the services they need. He said continuing to let people live in encampments without services does not provide them with extra support.

“If you support homeless people and want to get them the services they need and help them live in dignity, then you would support this bill, because we’re able to make that connection when we clear a homeless encampment between a person in need and social services they need to connect them,” Taylor said.

The bill passed the committee with seven ayes and one nay. 

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‘School Board The Musical’ to Tackle Feagins’ Termination

Photo Credit: Ladia Yates

The firing of former Memphis Shelby County School’s (MSCS) superintendent Marie Feagins will have a theatrical retelling from the students of Ladia Yates Entertainment (L.Y.E.) Academy.

Feagins’ termination sparked public interest from parents, students, and community members alike — prompting it to be the center of social media think-pieces and fodder. 

Ladia Yates, owner of L.Y.E. Academy, says it all could make a good documentary, which inspired her to create School Board The Musical.

“It’s actually a very interesting story,” Yates said. “It’s a revolving door. Something just keeps unfolding [and] keeping people’s attention. I think it’s a learning lesson, and I think it shows there’s a lot of corruption within the city of Memphis, the school system, the local government, that’s holding people back. It’s holding the city of Memphis back.”

Yates said Feagins “took the lid off” these things, which likely caused the fiasco to unfold.

“Whatever they’re doing is being revealed through her [Feagins],” Yates said. “Even if she didn’t try to do that, that’s just what’s happening. That’s why it’s such a big controversy.”

Controversy and drama is what draws people in, Yates adds. It also invites room for social commentary, and parody, which comedian Latoya Polk took advantage of during the height of the ordeal. Polk added humor by reenacting various meetings and embodying different school board members — an approach Yates found inspiring. Now, Polk will channel that same theatricality as the musical’s host.

“She’s bringing some sort of light to the situation through comedy,” Yates said. “That’s like how I’m bringing light to the situation through dance.”

These themes of light and laughter are integral in not only bringing the production to light, but for people to digest the mess in general. Yates said people were ready to “crash out” over Feagins, as the debacle was not just about her, but the welfare of students.

Feagins recently visited Yates’ studio for a public speaking class and recalls her students being immediately drawn to her. 

“She has an energy that will draw you to her, contrary to what the board is saying,” Yates said. “You see all the kids … they’re taking to her, she’s dancing with them. You see the photos and can see the camaraderie between her and the children and you can tell they naturally take to her.”

While it can be easy for Feagins’ termination to be marked by turmoil, Yates hopes the musical will represent resilience, and leave people inspired.

“It’ll be clean-cut. We’re not going to bash anyone, call out names, or use anyone’s likeness,” Yates said. “It’s more so for inspiration and just telling a story, and the moral of the story is don’t give up. Keep going no matter who stabs you in the back.”


School Board The Musical opens at 5 p.m. on April 13th at Crosstown Theater. Tickets can be purchased here.

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Public Concerns Grow as City Moves Forward With xAI Project

Elon Musk. Photo by Trevor Cokley / Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Members of the Memphis community have continuously voiced their opposition to Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer project, and the approval of a land deal along with recent news of the city’s investment into the Colossus Water Recycle Plant have amplified public dissent.

When the xAI deal was announced, community leaders and advocates openly opposed the project due to its negative environmental impact and disproportionate effect on minority communities.

Groups such as the Southern Environmental Law Center; Young, Gifted & Green; and Memphis Community Against Pollution (MCAP) have written letters openly opposing the project, and these concerns have only grown louder.

Today, Mayor Young posted on Facebook that city council approved land acquisition for the future Colossus Water Recycle Plant, an $80 million “investment in green infrastructure to protect our aquifer and safeguard our water for the long term.”

“This is a big win for our entire community,” Young said.

According to the group Protect Our Aquifer, the Colossus Water Recycle Plant will be used to “reduce aquifer usage” of the Colossus supercomputer and “other nearby industries.” The plant will be placed in Southwest Memphis at the former Electrolux facility.

The mayor went on to say that environmental concerns were a “top priority” from the beginning, and that when the electrical grid is experiencing high demand, xAI will move to “100 percent battery power.”

“We have an opportunity to position Memphis as a leader in AI and technology, but we have to do it responsibly,” Young said. “Together, we’re charting a path towards a sustainable future that protects our aquifer and ensures this investment benefits all Memphians for generations to come.”

While the mayor’s post seemed to address the looming environmental concerns, citizens are still not satisfied with the city’s decision.

“This is a very bad business decision,” a Facebook user by the name Richard Faulkner said. “This was blatant disrespect to all Black people in this city.”

Local drag performer and community activist Moth Moth Moth (aka Mothie) is encouraging people to write to Mayor Young regarding “urgent concerns” on the project through an email campaign. Mothie has provided an email prompt on their social media account.

“We stand at a critical apex of our city’s history, ” Mothie said.  “As the world changes all around us, let’s future-proof Memphis against authoritarianism and environmental ruin. The people of Memphis are bigger and more powerful than a lame computer will ever be. Invest instead with the incredible people of Memphis and you will see this city blossom.”

These comments come a week after the Memphis City Council approved an $820K land deal for the xAI facility, which is projected to use over 10 million gallons of wastewater a day.

Over the weekend, The Tennessee Holler posted a video of last Tuesday’s council meeting showing the discussion between xAI representative Brent Mayo, who was joined by Mayor Paul Young during the presentation.

The video shows Councilwoman Yolanda Cooper-Sutton saying that she wanted more transparency for the citizens of the city.

“We want to do good business with people,” Cooper-Sutton said. “Your boss doesn’t do good business.”

Councilman JB Smiley Jr. immediately intervened, advising Cooper-Sutton to stop and saying he would mute her microphone — which he eventually did. He said his reasoning was because the council’s rules of decorum do not allow “personal attacks from members of [the] body.”

“We have a situation here,” Councilwoman Pearl Eva Walker said. “I say this kindly and respectfully, but there is a lot of pushback in the community. Nobody says to us as a body how we should address that or handle that.”

The video, which was reposted by Memphis social media account @unapollogeticallyMemphis, allowed space for more users to echo these sentiments in the comments.

“Memphians, DO NOT TRUST ELON MUSHHEAD,” a user by the name @Randy.booktravel commented. “I do not remember any public information provided for this project he all of a sudden decided to put here.”

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Supreme Court Denies Petition To Hear Lawsuit On Drag Ban

Friends Of George's Cast at their show Drag Rocks in 2023 Photo Credit: Friends of George's

The United States Supreme Court will not be hearing the lawsuit filed by Memphis theater group, Friends of George’s, regarding the state’s ban on drag performances.

According to the Supreme Court website, a petition for the court to hear the case was denied on Monday.

In September, the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to hear the suit after all judges in the court received a petition to review it as a full court.

Prior to this decision, the same court reversed the U.S. District Court of the Western District’s decision to halt the enforcement of the controversial law. According to Friends of George’s the court decided in a 2-to-1 ruling that they lacked standing, which led to the lawsuit being dismissed.

Judge Andre Mathis of the Sixth Circuit Court wrote in his dissent that part of Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act (AEA) was an “unconstitutional content-based restriction on free speech.”

The law stated that these “adult cabaret performances” were “harmful to minors.” It made “adult cabaret performances” on public property or “in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult” a criminal offense.

Mathis said that the theater group had the right to sue since the law could stop them from doing their shows. However, the Tennessee Attorney General’s office argued that since the company hadn’t been harmed by the law, they couldn’t sue.

Chris Sanders of the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) called the ruling “very sad” in a post on Facebook, and noted that other organizations could  still sue on similar grounds.

“We are so grateful to Friends of George’s and their attorneys for all their work in defending our community,” Sanders said. “In the future, however, there could be other suits with other plaintiffs and the courts may decide they have standing to sue, which was the issue here. “

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti called the decision a “big win for Tennessee, adding that they will “continue to defend Tennessee’s law and children. … Free speech is a sacred American value, but the First Amendment does not require Tennessee to allow sexually explicit performances in front of children,” Skrmetti said.

Friends of George’s released the following statement:

“On February 24, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear our case, allowing Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act to stand. But this ruling does not define us. Friends of George’s Theatre Company will continue exercising our First Amendment right to bring joyful, LGBTQ+ inclusive art into our community while raising thousands for charities that uphold dignity and respect for all.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our legal team for their valiant effort in representing us over the past two years. We are forever grateful for their advocacy, dedication and unwavering belief in our constitutional right to free expression.”